A year hiatus

In my moment of empowerment over shedding baby weight, I come crawling back to this blog.  It was more out of curiosity to remember how post partum felt after Emmett, but once here, I had to post!  I'm not sure exactly where the last year went.  If you see it, feel free to send it back to me.

I always learned you should put your main points out there right away.  So here is this main point:

No matter how active or inactive you are after having a baby, your body will pretty much stick to its own schedule to get back into shape.  Fascinating....seriously fascinating.

Post partum Emmett: Finally was able to really workout (besides walking) at about 6 months.
Post partum Ewan (Did I mention there's another kid???!!!!!): Back to running 2 weeks after delivery

Weight at 8 weeks post partum with Emmett and Ewan.....exactly the same.

Now, i'm not really being fair here.  Yes, I still have 20 lbs to lose somehow so I don't have to buy a new wardrobe, but I couldn't be happier with how my body feels post baby #2.  Night and day from Emmett's birth.  I totally get why people decide to have more children after experiencing Ewan's birth!!!

Let's recap the year and Ewan's birth:

Pregnant in the fall of 2011.  Pregnancy flew by.  Instead of focusing on running (as I had with Emmett), with this pregnancy I focused on weight lifting and circuit training and ran no more than 3 times a week.  I was doing suicides and BOSU ball jumps and pullups (modified) at 35 weeks pregnant.  My take as a personal trainer is that weigh lifting was the way to go.  Forget running.  My balance was so much better, my ability to move and run and lift things in daily life was better, my attitude was better.  When i did run, I didn't do "long runs", but instead did interval training.

That said, my second pregnancy wasn't quite as easy as #1.  Ewan found a wonderful position where he would compress a nerve down the front of my leg.  I think I also had some pubic symphysis dysfunction.  My workouts were hit or miss.  Some days I could lift and do intervals on the treadmill, other days I had trouble walking down the stairs or from my car to work.  The pain was excruciating (when Ewan hit a nerve) but would only last for a second.  But it would make me miss my step sometimes which was somewhat funny.

My water broke at 38 weeks and 2 days at home one afternoon while watching "Hutterite Colony" on National Geographic.  I didn't accept it was my water as I had no signs of labor.  About 4 hours later (after dinner of course), Eric and I head to the hospital because I am still "peeing" myself.  Doctor is not impressed.  Mini contractions (if any), baby is still a +3, not really dilated.  Together, the team makes a game plan....admit me, administer pitocin gradually throughout the night, I will labor all night and sometime the next morning work on delivering kid.

This is was really happens:
9:00pm - arrive at hospital

9-10:30pm - triage, have 11,000 people check me because they don't think my water can be broken either.  Have many residents "examine" said fluid under a microscrope.  By this point, there is no doubt in my mind or any nurses' mind that it's definitely my water that is everywhere....but I guess when you are a resident, you have to be sure.  We get admitted (same hospital room as Emmett!!!).  I send Eric home with a long list of "wants" including snacks and a different vehicle.  I play on Facebook and text and generally roll my eyes at the thought of what's sure to be another long long labor  

10:30pm - nurse comes to to start IV of pitocin. I remark "let's get this party started!"

10:45pm - The Party started.  I am doubled over clutching the bed.  Contractions are every 30 seconds (thanks, pitocin).  I'm yelling.  I top my highest known pain level.  Eric walks in and nearly walks back out (Kidding!).

11:15pm - I am yelling for an epidural.  At this point, I am still convinced I will labor all night (as we had planned!) and I am wondering what is wrong with my body because it didn't hurt this bad for the first part of labor with Emmett.

(I lose time at this point)
- I try to prevent the doctor from checking me because I am certain I am not dilated.
- I deny that I feel like pushing because I can't be that far along and where is the epidural???
- Prevent doctor again from checking me
- anesthesiologist arrives and I do a crappy job of sitting still because I am trying not to puke (hmmmm....puke?  Transition anyone?)  So epidural doesn't take at all.  Anesthesiologist kinda freaks out because I'm yelling so much and dumps local numbing agent in me which only makes 1 leg go numb.
- doctor checks me and I'm an 8 and in transition.  Oops on giving the pain meds.
- Contractions are now continuous.  Someone gets the bright idea to turn off the pitocin.

- Doctor:  Do you feel like pushing?  Me: I don't know...??? (Full on trying to fake not pushing because I think maybe the epidural will finally take)
- Doctor: Are you SURE you don't feel like pushing??  Me:  FINE

2 pushes
Ewan born at 1231am  (2 hours from start of pitocin IV if you couldn't do the math)


Easiest birth ever.  Easiest recovery ever.  Easiest baby ever.  I love him.

I only waited 2 weeks to start running again because I thought lightning bolts would shoot from the sky and knock me down if I didn't.

Anyway, I'm back and busier than ever.  I'm applying to a physical therapy program this year.  I don't think my chances are great but I'm going to try.  And I am rededicating myself to chronicling the journey back to pre pregnancy weight and getting back in shape.  We are going to Disney in November and I would love to rock a decent bikini body by then and possibly fit into some pants by the time winter rolls around.

My current plan it to try Insanity.  I have a running stroller but my old hip injury is acting up.  I miss the gym but Ewan isn't old enough to go to childcare there.  Here's to losing 20 lbs!  Cheers!

So much to say and so little time

I don't even know where to begin...

Emmett celebrated his first birthday on 8 July. We had a big celebration on the 9th with family and friends. Our theme was "Going Green". All the food was locally grown/raised (local meat and produce) and/or organic. We use real plates, cups, utensils and cloth napkins. Eric's mom made the birthday cupcakes from scratch. We asked people not to bring cards and instead did 1 giant homemade one.

Some of our guests really go into the theme with their gifts to Emmett. One little girl (3 years old) picked out some of her old toys for Emmett. Another couple gave us a baby Columbia sweatshirt that their daughter had worn and I had gushed about. One of my sisters made a donation to a wildlife foundation in Emmett's name. Emmett also got a firetruck made out of recycled milk jugs (online company called Green toys I believe) and a savings bond.

Emmett's first birthday represented a return to normalcy (or new normalcy) for both Eric and I. I think we are finally hitting our stride with this whole parenting thing. We sort of have our individual roles figured out and the clock is running smoothly.

On the fitness side of the house, the first year after Emmett's birth felt like forever while I was living it, but now, looking back, it seems manageable. There were days when I felt like I would never feel like myself again or never run again. Luckily, I was able to curb some of those feelings by trying to incorporate some cross training in.

Aside from my collegiate running days, I can confidently say that I'm in the best shape of my life. (And certainly in better all around shape than my running days). For me, it was very frustrating to go back to ground zero after Emmett's delivery and piece my body back together again, but it probably taught me patience and compassion for others in similar positions. Sure, there are some days when I say "why me?", why did I have such a rough road to recovery after delivery. Why was I the one who was gifted with so many post delivery issues/injuries? But most days, I'm happy to be moving and happy to be on my feet. Muscle wise, I'm definitely a pre pregnancy strength if not higher. My endurance is back up....leg speed is a little slow, but I don't do a ton of speed workouts anymore. My abs are still pretty shot, but definitely getting better.

I have started weaning Emmett and it's going really well. The first nursing session I dropped was the one that happened right after my morning workout...and that freedom has been amazing. I continually struggled to keep my milk supply up post workouts, so dropping that session completely eased that pressure. I'm still working to get off those last 5 lbs of baby weight, so starting weaning has also given me the freedom to watch what I eat a little more (before, I was so fearful to cut or change anything or risk having an angry/hungry baby latched on to me all day.) I also no longer pump/nurse in the evenings. Eric puts Emmett to bed when I work and we stopped giving him a bottle at night....which means that I could give up pumping entirely!!! Whoop, whoop.

As for those last 5 lbs of baby weight....well, this might be as good as it gets. And I'm completely OK with that as well! I put up a good fight, but my body is just different. I'm pretty much back into all pre pregnancy clothes which was more important than the number on the scale to me anyway (mostly because I didn't want to replace my whole wardrobe.)

The Swagger is Back

My running swagger is coming back. I had to drop the hammer on some "designer runners" today. On my trip around the lake (5 mile run), I blew past not 1 but 2 legitimate runners WITH the baby stroller (the bright yellow one which makes me all the more obnoxious). They were both dudes decked out in what my friend calls their "cutest running outfits" complete with racing sunglasses. One of them was rocking the Vibram 5 finger shoes. So, he definitely deserved it.

My only regret is that I didn't have some smart ass saying on the back of my shirt. In high school, my personal favorite t-shirt read "I'll see you when you get there". That one really used to tick the Army guys off.

My running stroller is getting a lot of action this week because Emmett is in quarantine. The little kid has Hand, Foot and Mouth disease which he picked up from some little snot fest at the gym daycare. I kindly refer to Emmett as my little, dirty slum child.

In other workout news, I have been lifting hard core. I did a pre pregnancy lifting routine the other day using at least the same weights or heavier than I did before pregnancy. I forgot how much I love weight lifting. I used to shy away from it in college because I tended to "bulk up" with extra muscle (more than you need for distance running).

(My workouts now mostly look like this: I run 2 miles to the gym with E in the stroller, then I go to an aerobics/toning class or lift on my own, then I run 2 miles home. Sometimes I do a few exercises at night with my students.)

I have my eye on running my first marathon in December. I'm not sure how Emmett will appreciate uber long runs in the stroller. So far, the longest he has done is 1 hour. But maybe I can bribe him with snacks.

Also, I finally fit into the last of my pre-pregnancy jeans (milestone 10.5 months). Yeah, reference previous post....nothing looks the same, but I met my goal....I guess.

I'm planning on starting the weaning process for Emmett when he turns 1 year old. It will be interesting to see what happens with weight and such then. My midwife also thought that some of my "delivery injuries" will heal as my estrogen increases after weaning.

Just because you can wear your pre-pregnancy jeans, doesn't mean you should

I apologize this blog has been woefully neglected. It's not that I don't have things to say....maybe I'm just disheartened to share them.

Today, Emmett is 9 months old! When you are in the middle of the newborn stage, it seems like forever, but really the 9 months has gone by quick.

Although Emmett is super cool, I wrote this blog originally to try and detail running while pregnant and then getting the body back after baby. To sum it up, here's what I learned....the phrase "9 months on, 9 months off" is true. I tried my best to make myself into a case study to refute this claim, but alas I failed. In fact, my phrase might end up being more along the lines of "9 months on, never off" but I'm still going to try.

Officially, I'm about 3 lbs up from pre-pregnancy weight and I can wear 50% of my old jeans and 25% of my old shirts. But here's the reality, just because I can zip those zippers does not mean I should be waltzing down main street in those jeans. I'm not going to lie....Stacey London ("What Not to Wear") would not approve. The "Muffin Top" look is NOT in this year. The "I'm painted to your butt" look is for night time wear only. And, again, let me be honest, I can't blame the last 3 lbs I need to lose. My body is just a different shape these days.

Yes, I'm going shopping today. I tried to hold out. I squeezed in extra aerobics classes, running and weight lifting all in hopes that when Emmett turned 9 months I would suddenly look like my pre baby self. It was not to be. Don't worry, I'm not turning to Mom jeans and sweatpants yet, but my days shopping at the Buckle and buying expensive bedazzled butt pocket jeans are over.

On the running front, yes, I'm running and able to run a lot more these days. The only reminder that I had a baby (well, besides the fact that I now push a giant neon yellow stroller when I run) is that after I do a hard workout or race, I feel really achy "down there". And often I have to take a day off after a hard day because it's too uncomfortable to do anything with impact. If that symptom will be there forever, I can live with that.

What do my workouts look like now? I joined a gym in January WITH daycare (best decision ever). I made myself go to aerobics class every single day at 9:15am. That was the second best decision I made. I didn't realize how much all around strength (especially in my back, abs and arms) I had lost until then. I didn't always like the aerobics classes, but I just did them. They brought me back to the basics on strength, flexibility and balance. I believe that simply running wouldn't have done that for me.

So now, I usually try and run a few miles before class and then do the classes about 4 times a week. On one day a week, I'm doing intervals (400m - 800m...NOT fast). On Saturdays, I try to run a little bit longer. I just completed a 12K trail race last weekend and am looking to do a half marathon in May.

I will finish my Personal Trainer certification next month and also plan to go ahead and get my Group Exercise certification. I would love to specialize in pre and post natal fitness.

Another post pregnancy PR

I ran 37:41 today for my 5 mile race (Brooks No Frills Race Series). I'm pretty proud because I feel like the legs are finally getting the message to break out of the pregnancy pace rut.

I also dropped the hammer on some girl who tried to pass me in the last 1/2 mile. I was like "hell, no....I have been literally working my butt off to get back in shape and you will not pass me". It was a little of the old swagger coming back (even though I was mid-pack at best in this race).

Total for today was 7 miles (5 mile race + 2 miles w/u and c/d).

Superficial milestones

Pre-pregnancy "fat" jeans - I OWNED you tonight. What, What !!!!

All joking aside, this is a really big milestone for me. It's only taken me 7 months! I really thought the baby weight would disappear a little easier. Pretty much all that running I did during pregnancy didn't help me one dang bit losing the weight post baby. My new goal is to get into ALL my old pre-pregnancy jeans in another 2 months.

I had to chuckle, I was lecturing the other night on "Training the Pregnant Client" (ie Personal Fitness Training). I was reviewing with my students all the benefits of exercise for pregnant women and thinking about how a lot of them did NOT work out for me. Easier and shorter labor (NOPE), quicker recovery/healing from labor (HELL NO), faster return to regular activities (NOT), faster/easier weight loss (I WISH).....I know, I know, everyone always says to me "think about how bad it would have been if you didn't work out". To that, I sarcastically say thanks.

I'm also pretty happy to report that my pain is continuing to decrease every month and I don't have any "limitations" on exercises anymore. I can run up to 6 miles at a time now, although I am still mostly keeping the running to every other day.

(I'm about 5-6 lbs above pre-pregnancy weight and 9 lbs above my goal weight.)

Post baby PR

I've decided that having a baby resets all my running PRs. Kinda like being a born again virgin, I'm a born again runner. I ran 40:29 for 5 miles on Saturday. So, by my book, that's about a 4 min PR. I have to do it this way, otherwise I would cry to think about comparing this time to my pre-baby times.

My goal is to get under 40 mins for 5 miles in 2 weeks. Perhaps leaving the shots out before doing the run will help. But then, I would feel really cold (it was 14 degrees this past Saturday.)

I apologize I have not been keeping up with workout postings. Eric accidently erased my workout log during a computer "fix". In summary, I ran 3 times this past week and did aerobics classes in between. This week, I hope to increase running to 4 times a week and do the aerobics in between.